Combination baggage



Oct. 7, 1924.

R. E.A ADAMS COMBINATION BAGGAGE Filed June 2 sheets-sheet 1 R. E. ADAMS` COMBI NAI ON B AGGAGE Filed June 50. 1923' i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE- j ROBERT E. ADAMS, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINATION BAGGAGE.

Application filed .Tune 30, 1923. Serial No. 648,720.

To all whom t 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at v"Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful'lmprovements in Combination Baggage, of which the following is a specicat-ion.

This invention relates to baggage, and more particularly to combination outfits for use for various purposes.

lNhile well adapted for travelers, campers, etc., the present invention is'especiallyYV designed to meet the needs of seamen in the Navy.

In its broader aspects, the mainobject of the invention is to provide ,an article of baggage, of elongated form, having aA central compartment formed of relatively rigid material, and end compartments formed of soft, flexible material, whereby, when the baggage is thrown about, or allowed to fall y from considerable heights, as is often the case, the iiexible end compartments, especially when filled with soft clothing, will act as a cushion to absorb the shocks, and protect the middle compartment from breakage. A further object of the invention is-to provide an article of baggage, of the above character, in which the central compartment is complete in itself, and may be separated from the end compartments,

and used alone as a hand bag or satchel.

More specifically, the present invention seeks to combine in one piece of baggage the usual dulfle bag and ditty box, with which seamen are now commonly equipped, so as to make it necessary to handle and care for only one article instead of two, and so that the box portion will be protected by the bag portion thereof.

In order that the invention may be read- A ily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l 1s a side elevation of my improved article of baggage complete;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the central compartment as it appears when separatedv from the other compartments;v

Fig'. 4 is a transverse section through the central compartment showing the hinged door;

an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary similarv view'on `on an enlarged scale showing the method of securing thev canvas to the central container. i

Referring to the drawings in detail; myimproved article of baggage is `preferably of elongated cylindrical form and comprises a central compartment A and two end compartments B! and C. The central compartment has its walls formed of comparatively rigid, stiff'material such as sole leather or hard fibreor ypress board, and is in the nature of a box, having cylindrical side walls l, fiat end walls 2, and also pref# erably two or more partitions 3 dividing the interior into a series of receptacles.

chambers or The end walls 2 are provided with pressed up flanges: 2a which lit within the side walls l and which may be riveted or sewed thereto. pressed up flanges 3a, which may be simi- The partitions 3 also are formed with larly secured. These yflanges ldo not'extend flexible material may be provided.l

The hinged portion or door 4 iswpreferffably ofrounded or tapering form at its"v front edge, as shown in Fig. 3, and al stop strip 6 extends entirely around the edge of this door, as shown in Figs. Sand, and constitutes la liange adapted to engage the adjacent edge of the cylindrical wall l.V A suitable lock, preferably of the trunk; type, is provided, for locking the. doorV in,v its closed position, such lock comprising a swinging hasp 7 and a lock, proper, 8.y Extending over o and enclosing thev central l CO iUu

rigid container A is a flexible covering 9v A p made of canvas or similar textile material.

This cover fits tightly around the cylindrical walls of the container A and may be secured thereto `by means of lacing 10 passing through holes in the cover and corresponding holes in the edge of the portion 1 and the flanges 2a. This canvas covering is provided with a flap 11- which is adapted to overlie and substantially register with vthe hinged door 4. This flap carries at its point a loop 12 through which passes a strap 13 secured to the canvas covering at 14 and carrying .at its free end a ring 15. A. similar ring 16 is carried by a loop `fixed to the canvas covering and a pad lock 17 may be engaged with both rings 15 and 16, thus securely locking the flap in closed position. Tt will therefore lbe observed that independent means are ,providedfor locking both the hinged door 4 and the iiap 11.

In addition to this, the edges of the flap may be secured by means of lacing 18 if desired, as shown in Fig. 1.

The canvas covering 9 is extended at each end, yas indicated at 19 to form the end con tainers or compartments B and C. These compartments have flexible walls, being constructed wholly of canvas or the like, and having in them no rigid parts whatever.

The canvas cover is, as above stated, extended a suitable distance beyond each end ofthe central container or compartment, as indicated at 19, and .inside the free ends of such extended portions are secured, as by stitching `21, annular flaps or flanges 2O. Fitting over these :fiaps or flanges, and telescoping therewith are end sections 23 also formed vof canvas and having `end walls to which suitable handles 25 are secured. The free edges of the extensions 19, beyond the seams 21, are provided with series ofeyelets 22, and similarseries of eyelets are set in the inner edges of the end sections 23, as shown at 24. Suitable lacing 26 is threadedthrough these eyelets and serves to hold the two sections of each of the end compartments to- I gether.

By virtue of this construction, the end compartments are rendered longitudinally adjustable or expansible so that by loosening or tightening up on the lacing, these compartments may be made to have greater or less capacity, as may be required. In Figs. 1 and2, the compartment B is shownas contracted to its minimum capacity, while the compartment -C is .illustrated as expanded to a greater capacity.

In practice, the central compartment A will be used to contain toilet articles andthe like, or, in fact, anything of a hard or rigid nature,ior whichit is desired to protect from breakage orY injury. The end compartments, on the contrary, will be employed to contain clothing kor other soft material. "When these end compartments are filled with soft ma terial or articles, it Vwill be apparaent that they act as cushions and thereby protect and prevent injury to the central compartment.

lWhen used by seamen, the central compartment will take the place of the usual ditty-boX, while the end compartments, containing clothing, will serve the purpose of the ordinary sea bag or duliie bag. l have thus provided a single article of baggage wliich can be substituted for the above mentioned two separate articles with which seamen have heretofore been equipped.

Baggage of thecharacter to which this invention relates is usually subjected to en tremely rough handling, especially in the Navy, and it is of the utmost importance, therefore, that the baggage be so constructed as Ato successfully withstand the severe shocks to which it is often subjected. When one of my improved bags is packed, as above described, with .the liiexible end compartments filled with soft clothing, so as to constitute cushions, it may be thrown about freely and even dropped from the deck of a ship to the wharf without damage.

It will also be observed that access may be had to the end compartments without opening lthe middle compartment, and vice versa. Moreover, upon certain occasions when desired, the canvas covering may be entirely removed from the central container by taking out the lacing 10, and this container, when thus separated from the canvas covering will, in itself, constitutea complete piece of baggage,as shown in Fig. 3, and may be used like an ordinary grip or ahand bag. Then so used, a carrying device in the nature of a shawl strap is employed, this device comprising a bar 27 .to which a handle is attached, and a pair of straps 28, arranged to encircle the container.

The canvascovering, too, when the central container is removed, can be used independ entl'y as a piece of baggage similar .to the ordinary sea bag.

lt will thus be seen that l have provided a combination article of baggage which lends itself readily to a variety of uses, which is simple and cheap in construction, convenient in use, and almost indestructible, and moreover, a combination article from which one of the parts may be separated to serve as an independent container, and it is thought that the many advantages of my in vention will be readily appreciated without further discussion.

1. An article of baggage of elongated form and comprising a Central and two end compartments, the central compartment having walls -made of relatively stiff material, and the end compartments having side walls of flexible. material.

2. An article of baggage of elongated form and comprising a central and two end compatrments, the central compartment har-- ing walls'made of relatively stiff material, and the end compartments having side walls of flexible material, said compartments having substantially the same cross-section and being separable, and the central compartment, when separated, constituting a complete receptacle in itself.

3. An article of baggage of elongated form and comprising a central and two end compartments, said end compartments having side and end walls formed substantially wholly of flexible textile material, whereby they serve as cushions to absorb shocks.

4C. An article of baggage of elongated form, and comprising a central and two end compartments, all of said compartments being of substantially uniform cross-section, throughout, the sidewalls of the central compartment being made of relatively rigid material, and the side walls of the end compartments being made of relatively flexible material.

5. An article ofv baggage of elongated form, and comprising a central and two end compartments, the side walls of the central compartment being formed of relatively rigid material, and the side walls of the end compartments constituting substantially continuations of the side walls of the central compartment and being made of relatively flexible material.

6. An article of baggage comprising a rigid container and a covering formed of textile material, encasing the same, said con tainer and covering being separable, whereby when separated, each constitutes a complete'independent receptacle in itself.

7 An article of baggage of elongated form and comprising a central and two end compartments, said end compartments having side Walls formed wholly of flexible textile material, and each end compartment bedered expansible or adjustable in size, and

lacing for securing said sections together.y

9. An article of baggage comp-rising a rigid container, and a covering of textile material encasing the same, said coveringV being extended at each end to `form a` pairk of iiexible containers.

l0. An article of baggage comprising a rigid cylindrical container, and a separable textile covering encasing the same, said cov ering being extended at each end to form a pair of flexible cylindrical containers of substantially the saine diameter as the rigid container.

ll. An article of baggage comprising a rigid cylindrical container, and a separable textile covering` encasing the same, transverse partitions in said container dividing the same into a series of chambers, said container having a hinged portion affording access to all of said chambers, and said textile covering being formed with a flap of substantially the same size and shape as the hinged portion of the container.

12. An article of baggage comprising a rigid cylindrical container, and a separable textile covering encasing the same, said container having a hinged door, and said tex. tile covering having a flap overlying said door, and means for independently locking both said door and flap. y l

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.`

ROBERT E. ADAMS. 

